Radiation is commonly used in the non-invasive inspection of objects such as luggage, bags, briefcases, and the like to identify hidden contraband and smuggled goods. Contraband includes guns, knives, explosive devices, as well as illegal drugs, for example. Smuggled goods may be identified by comparing the detected contents of objects with a manifest listing of the contents of the objects. As criminals and terrorists have become more creative in the way they conceal contraband, the need for more effective non-invasive inspection techniques has grown. While the smuggling of contraband onto planes in carry-on bags and in luggage has been a well-known, on-going concern, a less publicized but also serious threat is the smuggling of contraband across borders and by boat in large cargo containers. Only 2%–10% of the 17 million cargo containers brought to the United States by boat are inspected. “Checkpoint Terror”, U.S. News and World Report, Feb. 11, 2002, p. 52.
One common inspection system is a line scanner, where an object to be inspected, such as luggage, is passed between a stationary source of radiation, such as X-ray radiation, and a stationary detector. The radiation is collimated into a vertical fan beam or a pencil beam and the object is moved horizontally through the beam. The radiation transmitted through the object is attenuated to varying degrees by the contents of the object. The attenuation of the radiation is a function of the density of the materials through which the radiation beam passes. The attenuated radiation is detected and radiographic images of the contents of the objects are generated for inspection. The radiographic image reveals the shape, size, and varying densities of the contents.
Standard cargo containers are typically 20–50 feet long (6.1–15.2 meters), 8 feet high (2.4 meters) and 6–9 feet wide (1.8–2.7 meters). Air cargo containers, which are used to contain a plurality of pieces of luggage or other cargo to be stored in the body of an airplane, may range in size (length, height, width) from about 35×21×21 inches (0.89×0.53×0.53 meters) up to about 240×118×96 inches (6.1×3.0×2.4 meters). Sea cargo containers are typically about 40–50 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet high. (12.2–15.2×2.4×2.4 meters). Large collections of objects, such as many pieces of luggage, may also be supported on a pallet. Pallets, which may have supporting side walls, may be of comparable sizes as cargo containers. The term “cargo conveyance” is used herein to encompass cargo containers (including sea cargo containers) and pallets.
Fixed inspection systems have been proposed for inspecting large containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,568 to Yoshida discloses an X-ray system for the inspection of packages, including large shipping containers. A conveyor moves the package or container horizontally between the X-ray source supported on a floor and a detector array. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,740 to Cable discloses a fixed inspection system, where an X-ray source transmits a continuous beam of radiation across a conveyor along which the containers to be inspected are moved. The container may be moved either continuously or incrementally. The radiation transmitted through a container is detected by a “folded” sensor screen or device having two, perpendicular arms, one extending vertically along a side of the container and the other extending horizontally over the top of a container during inspection. The folded sensor enables the system to have a smaller height than would otherwise be necessary in order to detect radiation transmitted through the entire container.
It has also been proposed to scan large containers with portable X-ray imaging systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,420 to Armistead discloses a straddle inspection system, wherein a source and a detector of a radiation scanning system are fixed to a movable frame and the frame is moved horizontally along the length of the container while image data is sequentially recorded. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,028 to Geus et al. discloses an X-ray source mounted on a mobile vehicle and a detector supported by a portal shaped assembly extending from the vehicle. During inspection of an object, which can be another vehicle, the mobile vehicle is driven past the object, such that the object passes through the portal shaped assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,533 B1 to Swift, et al. discloses a mobile X-ray inspection system for large objects, such as a cargo container carried by a vehicle, that uses an X-ray source of 450 kV. The source is supported on a truck and a pencil beam is generated to vertically scan the vehicle. Detectors, also supported on the truck or a boom extending from the truck, are provided to detect radiation transmitted through and scattered by the contents of the object. In use, a vehicle to be inspected parks alongside the scanning unit on the truck. The source and detectors are moved horizontally by a translation system within the truck to horizontally scan the vehicle. Scanning is said to be “exceedingly slow” (⅓–⅙ of a mile per hour).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,880 to Bjorkholm discloses an X-ray inspection apparatus that may be used to inspect cargo containers, that uses X-ray radiation of about 8 MeV, collimated into a vertical fan beam to scan a truck carrying the cargo. A first detector array is aligned with the fan beam to detect radiation transmitted through the truck. A second detector array is provided to detect radiation forward scattered through the truck. The truck is moved through the vertical fan beam. Data from both detectors is used to determine the average atomic number of the attenuating material in the truck to identify the material content in the truck. Images indicative of the material content are then prepared. Data provided by the first detector array is also used to form radiographs of the truck.
Such systems tend to be expensive, heavy, complex and difficult to transport and set up. Inspection may be slow. Some systems require several days to assemble and disassemble. Other systems are so long and/or heavy, that they require a special road permit to be driven on highways.
Improved radiation inspection systems for vehicles, for cargo conveyances carried by vehicles and for other objects are needed.